You’ve checked your bags twice, set up someone to water the plants, and maybe even arranged for a neighbor to grab your mail. But there’s one critical step most people skip before heading out the door for vacation: unplugging their appliances. Those seemingly harmless devices sitting on your counters and tucked throughout your home are quietly draining your wallet and, in some cases, creating serious fire risks. Research shows that household fires caused by electrical appliances occur thousands of times each year, with many happening when nobody’s home to notice the first signs of trouble. The good news? A few minutes of unplugging before you leave can save you money and give you real peace of mind.
Your coffee maker is a bigger risk than you think
That trusty coffee maker that gets you through Monday mornings needs to be unplugged before you leave town. Coffee makers contain heating elements that can malfunction over time, and the internal wiring can become frayed after years of daily use. According to fire safety experts, coffee makers left plugged in pose a significant fire hazard, especially if there’s a power surge while you’re away. The automatic shut-off feature that most models include isn’t foolproof, and electrical surges can bypass these safety mechanisms entirely. Even when turned off, these appliances continue drawing small amounts of electricity to keep internal displays lit and maintain their ready-to-brew status.
The same concern applies to electric kettles and any other small appliance designed to heat water quickly. These devices need to maintain a constant connection to power so they can immediately start heating when you flip the switch. This standby power consumption adds up on your electricity bill over time. More importantly, if a power surge hits your home during a storm while you’re relaxing on a beach somewhere, that plugged-in coffee maker could overheat and potentially start a fire. Taking thirty seconds to unplug it before you leave is a simple step that eliminates this risk entirely and saves you a few dollars on your next utility bill.
Toasters and air fryers top the fire risk list
Kitchen countertop appliances with heating elements are among the most dangerous items to leave plugged in when you’re not home. Toasters are named as main culprits for causing house fires, particularly if there’s any buildup of crumbs or grease near the heating elements. Air fryers have become incredibly popular in recent years, but they operate at high temperatures and draw significant amounts of power. According to fire statistics, roughly 44% of house fires in the UK are caused by electrical cooking appliances. These small kitchen devices may seem harmless when they’re sitting unused on your counter, but unexpected power surges can activate heating elements or cause electrical shorts that lead to fires.
Beyond the fire risk, these appliances are also major energy vampires. Even when switched off, they continue to draw standby power because they need to be ready to heat up the moment you turn them on. This phantom power consumption accounts for a noticeable portion of your monthly electricity bill. Before you head out for any extended trip, make it a habit to unplug your toaster, air fryer, toaster oven, and any other small cooking appliance. It takes just a minute to walk around your kitchen and pull these plugs, but it could prevent a catastrophic fire or save you enough money over time to pay for part of your next vacation.
Your washing machine and dryer need attention too
Large laundry appliances are easy to overlook because they’re typically tucked away in a separate room or closet, but they absolutely should be unplugged before you leave. Washers and dryers consume power even when turned off because they need to stay ready to heat water instantly when activated. Dryers present an additional hazard because lint can accumulate inside the machine over time, creating a serious fire risk if the heating element activates unexpectedly. Power surges or electrical malfunctions while you’re away could potentially start a fire that spreads quickly through your home with nobody there to notice or call for help.
There’s another important reason to disconnect your laundry appliances: water damage prevention. Even the smallest leak from a washing machine hose can cause thousands of dollars in damage if it goes unnoticed for days or weeks. Turning off the water supply to your washer is just as important as unplugging it. The same goes for your dishwasher, which should also be unplugged and have its water supply shut off. These appliances are designed for daily use with someone nearby to monitor them, not to sit idle but powered for extended periods. Taking these precautions protects both your appliances from electrical damage and your home from potential water disasters.
Entertainment systems drain money while you’re gone
Your television, gaming consoles, sound systems, and media players are some of the biggest energy vampires in your home. According to energy consumption studies, TVs and set-top boxes cost the most in standby electricity over a year compared to other household devices. Those little indicator lights and the ability to turn on instantly with a remote control mean these devices are constantly drawing power. When you multiply that by every entertainment device in your home and then by the number of days you’re on vacation, the wasted electricity adds up to real money. Plus, entertainment systems represent a significant financial investment that deserves protection from power surges.
A smart solution is to plug all your entertainment devices into a single power strip that you can easily switch off or unplug before leaving. This makes it convenient to cut power to your entire system in one action rather than crawling behind furniture to unplug individual items. The exception would be if you’re using your cable box or streaming device to record shows while you’re away, in which case it needs to stay on standby. However, you can still unplug the TV itself since it doesn’t need power for recordings to work. When you consider that power surges can permanently damage expensive electronics, taking this simple precaution makes even more sense.
Phone chargers left plugged in create unnecessary risks
How many phone chargers do you have plugged into outlets around your house right now? Most households have several scattered throughout bedrooms, kitchens, and living areas. These chargers are frequently forgotten when people think about unplugging appliances before a trip, but they should definitely be disconnected. Phone and device chargers continue to draw power even when nothing is connected to them. More concerning, older chargers or those from questionable manufacturers can overheat and potentially cause fires, especially if there’s a power surge. The small transformer inside each charger generates heat, and without proper ventilation or if the charger has any defects, this can become dangerous.
This applies to all types of chargers in your home including those for laptops, tablets, electric toothbrushes, and any other rechargeable devices. Walking through your house to collect and unplug all these chargers before leaving might seem tedious, but it eliminates multiple potential fire hazards and stops the constant trickle of wasted electricity. Consider keeping all your chargers in one designated spot when not in use, which makes it easier to ensure they’re all unplugged before you travel. The cumulative phantom power draw from multiple chargers left plugged in for weeks can actually make a noticeable difference on your electricity bill.
E-bikes and scooters need special consideration
If you own an electric bike, scooter, or hoverboard, never leave it charging when you’re away from home. Lithium-ion batteries have become a recognized fire risk by safety experts and insurance companies. Statistics show that 338 fires in the UK during 2023 were caused by e-bikes and scooters with lithium-ion batteries. While battery failures are relatively rare, when they do occur, they can cause intense fires that spread rapidly. These devices should never be charged unattended, which means definitely not while you’re on vacation for days or weeks. Even if the battery isn’t currently charging, it’s safer to unplug the charging equipment entirely.
The same precaution applies to any device with large lithium-ion batteries including power tools, lawn equipment, and portable power stations. These batteries can experience thermal runaway in rare cases, where they overheat and potentially catch fire or explode. Make sure any charging cables and adapters for these devices come with proper safety certifications marked with British or European safety symbols. Store these devices in a safe location away from flammable materials, and absolutely ensure nothing is plugged in and charging while you’re gone. The convenience of having a fully charged battery when you return isn’t worth the potential disaster if something goes wrong.
Home office equipment adds up to serious energy waste
Your home office likely contains multiple devices that consume standby power including computers, monitors, printers, scanners, and various accessories. One common mistake people make is simply closing their laptop without actually shutting it down, which means the battery continues charging indefinitely. Laptops left on and charging present a fire risk, especially if placed on soft surfaces like beds or chairs where heat can build up. Desktop computers in sleep mode continue drawing power to maintain memory and allow for quick startup. Monitors, even when the computer is off, often have indicator lights that stay illuminated and draw electricity continuously.
Printers are particularly wasteful because they maintain a constant state of readiness to receive print jobs over your network. This means they’re using electricity around the clock even though you might only print something once every few days. Before leaving on a trip, shut down your computer completely rather than putting it to sleep, then unplug both the computer and monitor. Disconnect your printer, scanner, shredder, and any other office equipment. Yes, your computer will take a bit longer to start up when you return, but you’ll save money on electricity and extend the lifespan of your equipment by giving it a true rest period away from constant power flow.
Microwaves waste energy just to show the time
Your microwave uses a surprising amount of standby power, primarily to keep its clock running and maintain memory settings. Microwaves consume between 2 and 7 watts every hour when plugged in but not actively heating food. While this seems minimal compared to the 1,200 watts it uses when actually cooking, those standby watts add up over days and weeks of vacation time. More importantly, microwaves can be damaged by power surges, and in rare cases, electrical malfunctions can cause them to turn on unexpectedly. Though most modern microwaves have safety features to prevent this, why take the chance when you won’t be home to notice if something goes wrong?
Unplugging your microwave before a trip means you’ll need to reset the clock when you return, which takes about ten seconds. That minor inconvenience is worth the peace of mind and the small amount saved on your electric bill. The same logic applies to other kitchen appliances with digital displays or clocks like ovens and ranges, though these are often hardwired and can’t be unplugged. For those that can be unplugged, doing so eliminates any possibility of electrical issues causing problems while you’re away. It’s one more item checked off your pre-vacation safety list that requires minimal effort but provides meaningful protection.
The things you should actually leave plugged in
While most appliances should be unplugged, there are some important exceptions to keep in mind. Your refrigerator and freezer are designed to run continuously and should generally stay plugged in unless you’re going away for an extended period and can empty them completely beforehand. Fridges and freezers are built to handle being left on for long stretches, though you might consider adjusting the temperature up slightly to save energy. Leave your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors powered on obviously, as these are critical safety devices. Your home security system needs to stay active, along with any video doorbells or security cameras you use to monitor your property.
Keep your internet router plugged in if you have smart home devices that need connectivity, or if you want to access security cameras remotely while traveling. If you use lamp timers to make it look like someone’s home, those need to remain plugged in and active. Your cable or satellite box can stay on standby if you want to record programs while away, though the TV itself can be unplugged. Basically, anything related to home security, safety monitoring, or climate control should stay powered. Everything else that’s just sitting idle and serving no purpose while you’re gone can be safely unplugged to save money and reduce fire risks.
Taking ten minutes to walk through your home and unplug unnecessary appliances before you leave is one of the smartest pre-vacation habits you can develop. You’ll reduce your electricity bill, protect expensive electronics from power surges, and significantly lower the risk of electrical fires while you’re away. Most modern appliances are designed for convenience with instant-on features and constant displays, but that convenience comes at a cost in both money and safety. The small inconvenience of resetting a few clocks when you return is nothing compared to the potential disaster of coming home to fire damage or fried electronics. Make unplugging part of your standard travel checklist right alongside locking doors and adjusting the thermostat.
